AAMC Letter of Support for
the "Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act" (S. 2590)
Sent to Senators Jeffords, Frist, Breaux, and Gregg
June 12, 2002
On behalf of the 125 medical schools, over 400 major teaching
hospitals, more than 105,000 faculty in 98 academic medical
societies, and approximately 163,000 medical students and
residents represented by the Association of American Medical
Colleges (AAMC), I write to express the AAMC's support for
the "Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act" (S. 2590).
Your legislation will play a vital role as our nation strives
to reduce medical errors.
The AAMC's members share a mission of improving patient care
through education and research. The "Patient Safety and Quality
Improvement Act" will certainly help strengthen that mission
by establishing the systems and incentives necessary to improve
quality of care and patient safety.
By providing legal protections that promote the sharing of
information related to adverse events, S. 2590 will support
a "culture of safety and quality" within our member organizations.
Limiting the threat of litigation will encourage providers
to report, analyze, and resolve flaws in the healthcare delivery
system. The voluntary reporting framework established by S.
2590 will also enhance provider participation in patient safety
research initiatives.
On behalf of the AAMC and its members, I applaud your leadership
in introducing the "Patient Safety and Quality Improvement
Act" and welcome the opportunity to work with your staff in
achieving enactment of the legislation.
Sincerely,
Jordan J. Cohen, MD
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